KAVAN Swift S-1 - Instruction manual

Introduction

Congratulations on your purchase of the semi-scale model of the Swift S–1 aerobatic sailplane! You are about to start the assembly of a model manufactured from virtually unbreakable expanded polyolefin (EPO) foam powered by a mighty brushless motor and lightweight LiPo battery. Everybody who has already mastered flying a "full house" trainer – with aileron, elevator, rudder, and throttle control – will enjoy this beautiful high–performance glider.

Swift S–1: a Polish aerobatic champion

By the end of 1980s the Margański & Mysłowski Zakłady Lotnicze decided there was a "gap" in the aerobatic glider market – apparently the good old all–wooden SZD–21–2b Kobuz 3 designed back in 1950s was no more the "hot stuff". So in 1991 designers Edward Margański and Jerzy Cisowski backed by Jerzy Makula (then triple world aerobatic glider champion) came with a new Swift S–1, a modern all–composite aerobatic glider with incredible 4 seconds roll rate capable of handling +/-10 g. The reward followed almost immediately – Jerzy Makula won his fourth FAI World Glider Aerobatic Championships in the same year!

Before you start

If you are not an experienced RC pilot, plan to have a fully competent pilot check your completed model and help you with your first flights. Even though we have tried to provide you with a thorough instruction manual, RC models are rather complicated and an experienced modeler can quickly check over your model to make sure your first flights are successful.
Please assemble your model exactly according to these instructions. Do not attempt to modify or change your model in any way as doing so may adversely change its flying characteristics.
Before you begin, please check the entire contents of this kit to make sure that no parts are missing or damaged. This will also help you to become familiar with each component of your plane. If you find that any of the parts are either missing or damaged, please contact your dealer immediately for replacement.

Note: Your dealer cannot accept kits for return if construction has begun.

Trial fit each part before gluing it in place. Make sure you are using the correct part and that it fits well before assembling. No amount of glue can make up for a poor fitting part.
The manual contains drawing showing the default position of the Centre of Gravity (CG) and recommended control surface throws. Please note it is essential to keep the recommended CG position for the first flight otherwise the model could be unstable, hard to control or even unable to fly at all! Later you can fine tune the CG position to suit your flying style and skills.

Precautions

This RC model is not a toy. Use it with care and stricktly following the instructions in this manual.

Assemble this model following stricktly these instructions. DO NOT modify or alter the model. Failure to do so, the warranty will lapse automatically. Follow the instructions in order to obtain a safe and solid model at the end of the assembly.

Children under the age of 14 must operate the model under the supervision of an adult.

Assure that the model is in perfect conditions before every flight, taking care that all the equipment works correctly and that the model is undamaged in its structure.

Fly only in days with light breeze and in a safe place away from any obstacles.

Safety precautions and warnings

An RC aeroplane is not a toy! If misused, it can cause serious bodily harm and damage to property. Fly only on a safe place following all instructions and recommendations in this manual. Beware of the propeller! Keep loose items that can get entangled in the propeller away from the spinning propeller, including loose clothing, or other objects such as pencils and screwdrivers. Ensure that yours and other people’s hands, and face are kept away from the rotating propeller.
As the user of this product, you are solely responsible for operating it in a manner that does not endanger yourself and others or result in damage to the product or the property of others. This model is controlled by a radio signal that is subject to interference from many sources outside your control. This interference can cause momentary loss of control so it is advisable to always keep a safe distance in all directions around your model, as this margin will help to avoid collisions or injury.
Never operate your model with low transmitter batteries.
Always operate your model in an open area away from power lines, cars, traffic, or people. Avoid operating your model in populated areas where injury or damage can occur.
Carefully follow the directions and warnings for this and any optional support equipment (chargers, rechargeable batteries, etc.) which you use.
Keep all chemicals, small parts and anything electrical out of the reach of children.
Moisture causes damage to electronics. Avoid water exposure to all equipment not specifically designed and protected for this purpose.
The model is mostly made of plastics – it is not fireproof. It may not be exposed to higher temperatures otherwise severe distortion of the foam airframe or other damage may occur.

Specification


Wingspan	2405 mm
Length	1300 mm
Wing area	45 dm²
Weight	1800 g
All–up Weight	2000–2050 g
Motor	C3548–750
ESC	KAVAN R–50SB SBEC
Propeller	11×8"

Set contents

Almost ready to fly model of a sailplane with the brushless motor, speed controller and servos installed, instruction manual.

You will also need

At least seven channel RC set, 14.8 V 2200–2700 mAh LiPo flight pack.
Regular modeller’s tools – modeller’s knife, screwdrivers, pliers etc.

Model assembly

Connect the elevator servo cable to the corresponding extension cable in the fuselage. Use a shrinking tube or strip of sticky tape to secure the connectors from disconnecting during flight. (Fig. 1)
Secure the horizontal stabilizer with two M3×10 mm screws. (Fig. 2)
Attach the rudder to the fin, snap the rudder hinges in place. (Fig. 3)
Connect the rudder servo linkage to the rudder arm. (Fig. 4)
Connect the aileron servo cables to the corresponding extension cables in the wing opening in the fuselage. (Fig. 5) Note: The kit is supplied with a Y-cable for ailerons so you can use even the most basic 4–channel radios to control your Swift S1. If you intend to use independent control of aileron servos and an advanced computer radio, you will have to replace the default Y–cable with two 25–30 cm extension cables.
Insert the wing halves into the fuselage and secure with the M6 nylon bolt. (Fig. 6) Your Swift S1 is fitted for the belly landing as supplied; you might wish to add the undercarriage.
Remove the screw and the foam filler from the landing wheel bay. (Fig. 7)
Install the wheel yoke using the same screw into the wheel bay. (Fig. 8)
Insert the wheel into the yoke, attach the dummy undercarriage doors from both sides of the yoke and secure with two screws. (Fig. 9)
The flight pack is to be placed in the bay in the centre of the cockpit; use Hook–and–loop tie to fasten it. You can place your receiver (secured with a strip of Hook–and–loop or double sided foam tape) behind the flight pack; the ESC is to be secured by the same along the flight pack. Connect servos and your ESC to the receiver; deploy the antennas so their active parts were square to each other (if you are using a receiver featuring diversity antennas). With your radio on, set the servos to the neutral position (sticks and trims centred) and fasten the setting screws of the pushrod connectors on the elevator and rudder servo arms. Perform the throttle range calibration of the ESC as described in the attachment of this manual. (Fig. 10+11)
Attach the canopy.

RC set installation and preflight check

Referring to the instruction manual of your radio carefully hook up the onboard electronics.
Once everything has been correctly connected, turn on your transmitter and plug in the flight pack. Check the neutral positions and throws of all control surfaces. If you needed to make the control surface throws smaller, simply move the pushrod closer to the centre on the servo arm or move it far from the control surface on the control horn. And vice versa.


	Low Rate	Low Rate
Ailerons	10 mm up/5 mm down	15 mm up/8 mm down
Ailerons (Airbrake)	22 mm up	22 mm up
Elevator	± 10 mm	± 15 mm
Elevator (Airbrake)	3 mm up	3 mm up
Rudder	± 25 mm	± 35 mm

The "Low Rate" recommended control surface throws are suitable for a less skilled pilot and regular soaring; the "High Rate" setting allows an experienced pilot exploring the full capabilities of his model. The aileron differential (aileron down deflection reduced to 50 % of up deflection) is only possible with a computer radio.

Check the direction of rotation of the propeller. If it was incorrect, simply swap two of the tree wires between the ESC and motor or program the ESC (refer to the ESC manual).
Check the correct position of the centre of gravity (CG): 65–70 mm behind the leading edge of the wing (Fig. 12). Adjust the CG position by moving the flight pack – if you could not reach the recommended position, do not hesitate to add appropriate amount of lead to the nose or tail. An extra couple of grams won’t spoil the flying characteristics - but the incorrect CG position is a killer.
Fully charge your flight pack and transmitter batteries, check the proper function of your radio and perform the range check of your radio according to its instruction manual. The range has to be almost the same with the motor off and at full throttle (no more than 10 % decrease is acceptable). DO NOT try to fly unless the range check is 100% successful.

Flying

The test flying and fine tuning is pretty much straightforward, there will be no surprise for a medium-advanced pilot that is supposed to fly this model.

Appendix

KAVAN R-6B...R-80SB

Programmable Electronic Controllers for Brushless Motors

Congratulation on your purchase of a KAVAN Line electronic controller for brushless motors. The state–of–the–art KAVAN Line covers almost the entire range of electric powered planes flown by a Sunday flyer. All the ESCs can be quickly programmed using your transmitter and even easier with the optional KAVAN Card.

Programmable functions

Programmable Brake Setting (use the brake on for folding props applications only).
Programmable Battery Type (LiPo or NiCd/NiMH).
Programmable Low Voltage Cut–Off Type (power reduction or immediate shut down).
Programmable Low Voltage Cut–Off Setting.
Programmable Soft Acceleration Start Ups (for gearbox and helicopter applications).
Programmable Timing Settings (to enhance ESC efficiency and smoothness).

Specification


	BEC Type	Current (Cont./Burst)	Input Voltage (No. of cells)	Weight	BEC (Voltage/Current)	Dimensions
KAVAN R–6B	*BEC	6/8 A	2S LiPo	5.5 g	5 V/0.8 A	32×12×4.5 mm
KAVAN R–12B	*BEC	12/15 A	2–3S LiPo	9 g	5 V/1 A	38×18×6 mm
KAVAN R–15B	*BEC	15/20 A	2–3S LiPo	16.5 g	5 V/2 A	48×22.5×6 mm
KAVAN R–20B	*BEC	20/25 A	2–3S LiPo	19 g	5 V/2 A	42×25×8 mm
KAVAN R–30B	*BEC	30/40 A	2–3S LiPo	37 g	5 V/2 A	68×25×8 mm
KAVAN R–40B	*BEC	40/55 A	2–3S LiPo	39 g	5 V/3 A	68×25×8 mm
KAVAN R–40SB	**SBEC	40/55 A	2–4S LiPo	43 g	5 V/3 A	65×25×12 mm
KAVAN R–50SB	**SBEC	50/65 A	2–4S LiPo	41 g	5 V/7 A	65×29×10 mm
KAVAN R–60SB	**SBEC	60/80 A	3–6S LiPo	63 g	5 V/7 A	77×35×14 mm
KAVAN R–80SB	**SBEC	80/100 A	3–6S LiPo	82 g	5 V/7 A	86×38×12 mm

*) BEC – linear BEC

**) SBEC – powerfull switching BEC

Connecting the KAVAN ESC

The speed controller can be connected to the motor by soldering directly or with high quality connectors. Always use new connectors, which should be soldered carefully to the cables and insulated with heat shrink tube. Use only high quality connectors to connect the ESC to the flight pack as well – 2 mm gold plated connectors (Pelikan Daniel #7939 or #7940) for currents up to 20A; 3.5 mm (#7941), 4 mm (#7946) gold plated connectors or DEAN–T (#7949) for currents up to 60A and 6 mm (#7945) for currents up to 80A. The maximum length of the battery pack wires should be within 15 cm (6 inches).

Plug the UNI servo connector cable of the ESC to your receiver throttle output. The ESCs featuring BEC or SBEC voltage stabilizer will feed your receiver and servos from the flight battery pack.

KAVAN ESC Wiring Diagram

Please bear in mind improper polarity or short circuit will damage the ESC therefore it is your responsibility to double check all plugs for proper polarity, and proper connection BEFORE connecting the battery pack for the first time.

Powering up for the first time & the automatic throttle calibration

The KAVAN ESC features Automatic Throttle Calibration to ensure the smoothest throttle response and resolution throughout the entire throttle range of your transmitter. This step has to be performed just once to allow the ESC to "learn and memorize" the throttle output signal of your transmitter. It only needs to be repeated if you changed your transmitter.

Switch on the transmitter, move throttle stick to the top position.
Connect battery pack to the ESC, and wait for about 2 seconds.
The "Beep–Beep–" tone should be emitted, means the top point of throttle range has been confirmed.
Move throttle stick to the bottom position, several "beep–" tones should be emitted to present the amount of battery cells.
A long "Beep–" tone should be emitted, means the lowest point of throttle range has been correctly confirmed.

The throttle has been calibrated now and your ESC is ready for operation.

Normal ESC start-up procedure

Move throttle stick to bottom position and then switch on transmitter.
Connect battery pack to ESC, special tone like "123" means power supply is OK.
Several "beep–" tones should be emitted to present the amount of lithium battery cells.
When self–test is finished, a long "beep–" tone should be emitted.
Slowly move the throttle stick up, the prop should start to rotate clockwise (looking from the cockpit of the plane). If it spins in the opposite direction, pull the throttle stick back, disconnect the flight battery and swap any two of the three cables between the motor and the ESC. The re–check again.

Protection function

Start up failure protection: If the motor fails to start within 2 seconds of throttle application, the ESC will cut–off the output power. In this case, the throttle stick MUST be moved to the bottom again to restart the motor. (Such a situation happens in the following cases: The connection between ESC and motor is not reliable, the propeller or the motor is blocked, the gearbox is damaged, etc.).
Over–heat protection: When the temperature of the ESC is over about 110 Celsius degrees, the ESC will reduce the output power.
Throttle signal loss protection: The ESC will reduce the output power if throttle signal is lost for 1 second, further loss for 2 seconds will cause the output to be cut–off completely.

Programmable functions of the KAVAN ESC

Brake: ON/OFF
ON – Sets the propeller to the brake position when the throttle stick is at the minimum position (recommended for folding props).
OFF – Sets the propeller to freewheel when the throttle stick is at the minimum position.
Battery type: LiPo or NiCd/NiMh
Low voltage cut–off type: Reduce power/hard cut–off
Reduce power – ESC reduces motor power when the preset Low voltage protection threshold value is reached.
Hard cut–off – ESC instantly cuts motor power off when the preset Low voltage protection threshold value is reached.
Low voltage protection threshold: Low/Medium/High
For Li–xx packs – the battery cell number is calculated automatically. Low/Middle/High cut–off voltage for each cell is: 2.85 V/3.15 V/3.3 V. For example: For a 3S LiPo, when "Middle" cut–off threshold is set, the cut–off voltage will be: 3.15 * 3 = 9.45 V.
For Ni–xx packs – Low/Medium/High cut–off voltages are 0 %/50 %/65 % of the start–up voltage (i.e. the initial voltage of battery pack), and 0 % means the Low voltage cut–off function is disabled. For example: For a 6–cells NiMH battery, fully charged voltage is 1.44 * 6 = 8.64 V, when "Middle" cut–off threshold is set, the cut–off voltage will be: 8.64 * 50 % = 4.32 V.
Soft acceleration start–up: Normal/Soft/Very soft
Normal mode is suitable for fixed–wing aircraft. Soft or Very soft modes are suitable for helicopters. The initial acceleration of the Soft and Very soft modes are slower, it takes 1.5 second for Soft start–up or 3 seconds for Very soft start–up from initial throttle advance to full throttle. If the throttle is completely closed (throttle stick moved to bottom position) and opened again (throttle stick moved to top position) within 3 seconds after the first start–up, the re–start–up will be temporarily changed to normal mode to get rid of the chance of a crash caused by slow throttle response. This special design is suitable for aerobatic flight when quick throttle response is needed.
Timing set–up: Low/Middle/High